Six people, including Siemens executive Agustin Escobar and his family, tragically lost their lives when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon. The accident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. near the Newport neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey, across from Manhattan.
The Bell 206 helicopter, which had taken off from the downtown Skyport in Manhattan, was carrying Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi, their three children, and the pilot. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter’s rotor blade break apart in mid-air before the aircraft spiraled uncontrollably into the water.
“And after it shattered, then we saw the helicopter just spiral… And then it just crashed into the water just like that,” said Belle Angel, a fashion designer who witnessed the incident.
Rescue teams from New York and New Jersey arrived quickly at the scene. Despite their efforts, two victims, including Escobar’s wife, were rushed to the hospital but later died from their injuries. The bodies of all six victims were recovered from the water. The crash site was marked by the helicopter’s landing skids visible above the surface as several rescue boats surrounded the wreckage.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives,” Siemens said in a statement on Friday. “Our hearts go out to their loved ones during this difficult time.”
Local authorities confirmed that the helicopter flew south along the Manhattan shoreline before turning back toward the downtown heliport. It lost control shortly before crashing near a Hoboken pier. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as a Bell 206 and confirmed that an investigation would be carried out in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
